Generative AI landed in higher education before anyone had time to prepare. No matter how you feel about these tools—skeptical, overwhelmed, curious, or excited—they’ve created real challenges for faculty. This page brings together what I’ve learned about GenAI, its possibilities, its limits, and its ethics, with the hope that it helps you in ways that make sense for your courses and your comfort level.
“I want to minimize or avoid AI in my courses.” Great if you prefer student-generated work, integrity-first assessment, or clear boundaries between technology and learning.
AI-Curious Resources
“I’m open to trying AI but need small, manageable options.” For faculty who prioritize student-generated work and want structured ways to experiment without committing to major curricular changes.
AI Creative Resources
“I’m interested in more intentional and innovative uses of AI.” For faculty who prioritize student-generated work and want to explore new teaching models or creative projects.
AI-Cautious Resources
Deciding on your AI policy
Barnard has some useful infographics on how to start articulating your stance on AI use in your courses.
Below the policy infographic is an infographic on how to start navigating concerns on AI use in your assignments.
Sample syllabi language
This document houses a wide range of syllabi language, including language prohibiting GenAI use and the instructor’s reasoning (e.g., AI is discriminatory, AI’s material is plagiarism). Search in the document for word stems like “prohibit”, “bias”, “discrim”, “plagiarism” to find specific examples.
Assignment design in the age of GenAI
Barnard also has a useful section on their website under the heading “Consider assignment design in the context of ChatGPT“. Some points they make:
- Avoid redesigning assignments solely to prevent AI use; instead consider adapting assignments to emphasize higher-order thinking, ‘process’ work, and verifiable sources (areas where AI tools struggle due to inaccuracies and limited analytical capabilities). Includes an article on adapting college writing assignments.
- While in-class, hand-written assignments may seem tempting, keep accessibility in mind. How do time, hand-written exams potentially disadvantage students with learning disabilities? Further rumination on timed exams in the AI-age: Should we get students back in exam halls?
- Effective strategies include scaffolding assignments with low-stakes practice, incorporating recent texts (which older AI models can’t access), building in peer-review feedback & revision opportunities
AI-Curious Resources
GenAI is often labeled as a world-upending tool; my advice is to start small and ground yourself in the basics. Think about your usual frameworks, such as Backward Design, Bloom’s Taxonomy, or whatever guides your teaching. Instead of asking, “How can I add AI to my course?” begin with your existing learning goals and ask “how might AI support or strengthen this?”
Getting Started: Learning about GenAI, crafting prompts, and more
Begin trying GenAI out for yourself. AI efficiency gains come when you use it daily for multiple weeks in a row.
Try this quick reflection.
- Think of the different parts of your job and how much time they take.
- Identify parts of your work that truly require you — your expertise, judgment, warmth, creativity, or presence.
- Note the things that routinely pull you away from those high-value areas.
With that in mind, ask yourself: Are there tasks on that that third “gets in my way” list where AI could save you time or lighten the load? So you can spend more of your energy on the work only you can do? Examples:
- Softening the tone of my feedback to students or colleagues. When my mind is too tired to be diplomatic, how I craft my prompt to ChatGPT: 1) I describe what I want to communicate to a student/colleague in my unorganized, harsh way, then 2) ask ChatGPT to soften the tone so that it is achieves a specified tone. Then I take any edits that I agree with and can stand behind.
- Designing an infographic to help explain a concept after trying to explain it to a student a couple of ways already. My prompt to ChatGPT “You are a helpful tutor for [type of class]. A student is struggling with [concept] in your course. They learn best with visual examples. Create a 3-step remedial learning plan for this student. Include visual examples.” Then I edit the content with my own expertise.
- Updating statistics about prejudice attitudes on my slides. These stats aren’t the core content of my lecture, but I want the most up to date data. My prompt: “I’m looking for data from organization like Pew or Gallop that shows a graph or figure tracking attitudes about homosexuality over time. Graphic that answers the question: has homosexuality become more accepted by US society over time?”
- Other phrases I include in my prompts. “Do you have any questions for me to help you do this?” “What else do you need to know?” And if I run out of prompts, I just try a different GenAI (e.g., Claude, Microsoft Copilot).
A fellow GLCA professor, Professor Lew Ludwig has amassed several great resources for faculty getting started using AI. I particularly recommend scrolling to the section on “crafting prompts” and “AI and the environment“. Also includes information on what ChatGPT is.
Ideas to try right away
These ideas come from workshops hosted in 2025 by the Council of Independent Colleges.
Brainstorming assessments
- Think of a specific concept you teach. Use your AI tool and ask it to brainstorm 5 creative ways to assess student understanding of that concept. (E.g. “Brainstorm 5 creative assessments for a college-level history course on the topic of Bacon’s Rebellion”.
- At this point we want to be pretty vague. Don’t worry about feasibility yet, just collect initial ideas in a separate document.
- Try Ethan Mollick trick; the next instruction is just “Make it better.” Let AI output whatever it wants. Give this instruction 4 or 5 times.
- Look at the post “Make it Better” output and compare it to the output from the first prompt. What are the differences? Note what you notice and what you think happened.
Syllabus Reflection (for students to do)
- Credit: Susan Ray from Delaware County Community College
- Goal: you will use OpenAI as a vehicle to get to know our course, reflect on your strengths as a student, and consider what you might find interesting or challenging in ENGL-1XX. You’ll upload or paste our course syllabus into an AI tool, introduce yourself using a personalized prompt, and reflect on the AI’s response.
- Step 1: Prepare your personalized prompt. Start by filling in the prompt below, be sure to include:
- Your general age and intended major (for academic intersts)
- Your reading and writing background (this example comes from an English class)
- What you’ve liked or disliked about past English classes
- A few words about your learning style or future goals
- Example: “I’m a __-year old student thinking of majoring in ____. In the past I’ve found English classes to be ____. When it comes to writing, I tend to ___. I usually enjoy reading ___, but I find reading ___ more challenging. As a student and learner, my strengths include ___, but sometimes I struggle with ___. Based on the attached ENGL-1XX syllabus and what I’ve shared about myself, what parts of this course will I likely enjoy, what might be difficult, and how might it help me grow as a thinker and writer? How might this class help me in my career in ____?”
Assignment design in age of AI
On AI-proof or AI-Aware assignments, this discussion “The Homework Machine” from the TeachLab podcast covers redesigning an assignment with AI in mind.
The Un-cheatable Assignment: This article explores designing assignments that are “un-cheatable” in the age of AI by requiring higher-order thinking skills like creativity and critical analysis. The author argues that instead of trying to prevent AI use, educators should create tasks that leverage AI as a learning tool. Ultimately, the essay concludes that this shift fundamentally changes the role of the educator from a content provider to that of a coach, mentor, and guide who helps students navigate complex problems with new tools.
AI-for-Equity ideas
Some faculty think about incorporating GenAI as a way to foster equity in the classroom. You might use it as an equalizer or support tool for students with diverse needs, especially those who may struggle with expressing themselves through writing (e.g., students with learning disabilities, English language learners). Other articles discuss using AI to build confidence with learning, not as a substitution for learning (e.g., AI as an optional tool for scaffolding, like brainstorming, outlining, or peer-review of a draft).
| Idea | What it does | How you might try it |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Offer AI-based assistive tools for students reading/writing or other challenges | AI-powered text-to-speech, speech-to-text, spell checkers, writing support can reduce barriers for students with learning differences or when English is not a first language | On a syllabus or Moodle site, suggest optional tools (e.g., text-to-speech in internet browsers or through K’s Level-Up-Learning) for students who prefer or need them; mention that using such tools is allowed and supported. |
| 2. Design assignments with an AI-option | By giving students the option to use AI (or not), you support diverse learner needs and preferences (i.e., Universal Design for Learning) and avoid penalizing those without access or those who dislike AI | Structure assignments as “AI-friendly but optional”; e.g., allow for brainstorming, outlining, reviewing rough drafts. You can give students specific prompts to use with GenAI to make sure they’re within the bounds you set. |
| 3. Explicitly talk about AI, bias, and digital equity; integrate AI literacy into your course | Because AI systems can reproduce biases or inequities, teaching about AI’s limits, potential biases, and ethical use helps students (and faculty) become critical & aware users. | Set aside time for a discussion or activity early in class about AI, equity, accessibility, bias, and digital divides. You may be surprised by what many students already know and think about. You can find many resources to help you guide your conversation. I like this one on cake. |
Neurodiversity
The GLCA also recently hosted a virtual workshop (recorded) called How Neurodiverse Students Can Use AI to Enhance Their Learning with Dr. Todd Zakrajsek.